When is it too late?

I read a joke once in which a gorgeous woman on a stroll notices a guy seated on a park bench. He looks old but fit. The woman is intrigued by the man’s appearance and decides to find out more. She sits beside him on the bench and asks him what the secret to his good looks are at such an old age. The man starts off by telling her that he spent most of his life consuming junk food and alcohol. He tells her that he smoked a packet of cigarettes everyday, and regularly visited brothels. He never exercised and in a nut shell, led an erratic life. The woman is surprised as this was certainly not what she expected to hear. But nonetheless, she continues and asks him how old he his.

Bang comes the reply: “Twenty seven.”

I found the joke funny and sad at the same time. We all have our moments in time when we wake up one fine morning and realize we are 23 years old (like I will be tomorrow) and haven’t really done much all these years. A sense of panic sets in at times and we ‘decide’ to do more with our lives. But a few days later, there’s a visitor at the door. His name is laziness. He’s been with you before and you recognize each other all to well. He wants to move in with you this time. Most would oblige and let the visitor in. Time goes by and soon you realize that he’s been sapping you of energy. It’s time to drive him out. Many others would let him be their guest for as long as he chooses.

At 19, I expected to be much further ahead by this time than where I am right now. Maybe that thought occurs to you sometimes. But what’s going to make the difference is the answer to this question: “What then?” It’s unreasonable to think that it’s too late.

I’m working with a book called Word Power made easy by Norman Lewis. The author makes it explicitly clear in the introductory chapters that it’s never too late to increase one’s vocabulary. I think you can take that thought and broaden it out to other areas as well. I have friends who are 28 that think they’re getting old. Still worse; there are 24 year olds that think it’s too late. On the other hand, I know of a 61 year old who’s been looking forward to going to the Oktoberfest in Munich.

The human body is designed to function well for a period of 120 years with all the right kind of care and nutrition. Take your current age and subtract it from 120. Maybe that should give you an idea if you are interested.